Fire and Rain, Anger and Pain
by Mai Tenshi
Summary: The war is over in Gaea and everyone is at peace. At least, that's what everyone hoped. Allen thought that his sister Celena had returned to him for good this time, but he was horribly mistaken. Dilandau is back, and is causing hell for everyone.


Fire and Rain, Anger and Pain

By Ayase Kay

**One**

Darkness… nothing but eternal darkness. It was comforting… and safe. Nothing to worry about or to be scared of. Was I dead? My body was nowhere to be seen, but I didn't care. I was alone… but safe.

Suddenly, everything started returning to me. Vivid pictures of war, pain, suffering, fire, insanity. I could feel it all burning into my mind like a torch alight with hell's flames. What was that light ahead of me? I saw two people standing in a room. The taller one was a boy who had long blonde hair and a knight's outfit. The other one was a female, who bore a slight resemblance to the boy. She had short, wavy, light brown hair and was wearing black pants with a sleeveless, faded purple shirt. She began to get closer to me, or maybe I was getting closer to her. I couldn't tell, but I was suddenly so close I felt I was going to smash right into her. Then, everything was dark again.

I opened my eyes slowly. _What… Where am I?_ I thought frantically. My head surged with pain.

"D-Dilandau!" exclaimed the long, blonde haired man in front of me. Allen Schezar. I recognized him right away as memories of fights on the battlefield with him swept into my mind. I would kill him this time.

"Allen Schezar!" I reached for my sword but all my hands grasped were air. He had taken away my sword! How dare he! I growled from deep in my throat. I'd have to kill him later. I glanced around the brightly lit room I was standing in. There was a door to my right and I ran for it.

"Guards! Stop him!" Allen yelled. Two guards opened the door and stepped into the room. I body checked both of them, sending them to the ground. I kept running, and now I was in a long hallway lit by candles. It seemed to go on and on forever. Exit! Where was an exit? I turned a corner sharply. Unfortunately, I didn't see the girl until it was too late.

**Two**

"Owww," I moaned, rubbing my head. I had just been pushed to the ground by someone. I gasped. That _someone_ was on top of me! I pushed him off of me and sat up. He was a pale boy, probably around sixteen with wild silver hair. He was unconscious. "Oh my god!" I leaned over to him to make sure he was ok. I jerked back. There was something about him that made me feel… uneasy.

"There he is!" said a relieved Allen who had just arrived with some soldiers. I blushed. Allen Schezar was a respected knight of Kalii who wasn't exactly hard on the eyes.

"Guards, take… Dilandau" said Allen, as if it was hard to speak his name. "…to the tower on the west side of the castle.

_Dilandau?_ I thought. _I wonder who this guy is… and why Allen is making such a fuss over him._

"Right away," they said in unison. After they took the unconscious boy away, Allen helped me up. I blushed again slightly.

"Are you all right? He must have ran into you pretty hard."

"um, no. It's all right. I'm sure I'll be fine." I couldn't believe he was actually talking to a mere maid like me, let alone asking if I was all right. He smiled, then looked away distraught, in the directions they had taken the boy.

"A-are you all right?" I asked. "You seem troubled."

He smiled down at me again. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it, René," he said

as he walked off. He left me baffled and confused in the hallway. He even knew my name?

**Three**

"uuh…." I groaned. This head ache wasn't getting any better. The fact that I knocked heads with a girl didn't help any. I sat up suddenly. _Where am I now?_ I thought bitterly, looking around. I was in some kind of room. Huge red curtains were open on the far wall, revealing a window with bars on the other side of them. A dresser was at the foot of the bed I was sitting on and a small table with a single chair next to it was pushed against the left wall. To my right, a huge blood red door was shut. I walked over to it. Locked, obviously. I kicked it in frustration, which only left me with a pain in my foot.

_I must be in a castle in Asturia_, I thought angrily. I tried to remember what happened to me before I got here. My head just reeled in pain. Scenes flashed in my mind of the battlefield inside my guymelef. I had been defeated by Van Fanel, the king of Fanelia. He had practically destroyed my guymelef, and was about to kill me. I shuddered. But then… Allen Schezar stopped him… That was all I remembered. Why was he protecting me? And why can't I remember anything between then and when I was with Allen in that room. My head felt like it was spinning. _Why haven't they killed me yet? _I wondered.

And why did they put me in this room? I would think they would put me in the dungeon for all the things I've done. I smirked at the thought of the battlefield and the killing… and the fire. I wouldn't be able to see any of those things if I was kept here in this room. I needed to get out. I needed to be back on that battle field. I needed to kill…

**Four**

"Are you sure you're all right René?" asked Sophia, my best friend. She was looking at the bruise I was sporting on my forehead. We were sitting on my bed in the maid's chamber. We were all preparing to go to sleep.

"Don't worry about me. I just ran into some boy… Besides, you've got enough to worry about, what with being far behind with your laundry duties." She bit her lip nervously.

"I know, It's been hard keeping my mind on work with all this gossip going around," she smiled.

_Oh great_, I thought. If anyone knew anything about what was going on around the castle, it would be my gossip loving friend Sophia.

"But just listen to this! Trust me when I say you'll wanna hear this. The whole castle is buzzing with the news and everyone's getting really nervous!"

"All right, all right. Just tell me already!" Her smile grew, and I couldn't help but smile at her excitement as well.

"Well, you know how Sir Allen's sister, Celena, has returned to the castle…"

"Yes, I already know about that."

"But did you know that she was Sir Allen's opponent on the battlefield for years?"

"You're kidding, wouldn't he have recognized her?"

"That's just it! He couldn't recognize her because _she_ was a _he_!"

"I don't think I follow you…"

"It turns out that Celena had been kidnapped when she was very young and Zaibach Sorcerers had done experiments on her."

"That's awful!"

"I know. And they completely changed her into a guy."

"Why would they do that?" It seemed like a pretty weird thing to do if you asked me.

"I have no idea, but I do know that they changed more than just her gender and looks. They changed her personality too. The guy she became was a blood thirsty, merciless soldier of Zaibach. He even became a general for a group who called themselves the 'Dragonslayers'.

"He sounds pretty creepy to me," I said shuttering at the thought of meeting him.

"Ya, no kidding. Anyway, he finally changed back into Celena and Sir Allen brought her back here."

"Well, that's good news then. Why is everyone so nervous?"

"Because there was a problem. She didn't stay herself, René. She changed back She changed back into the cold murderer who calls himself Dilandau."

**Five**

I stood, unmoving in front of the window, deep in thought. The blossoms outside covered the garden like a wave of colors that clearly showed that Spring had finally arrived. The war was over and the terror of Zaibach had faded away. I thought that would be the end of my troubles… I thought Celena had returned to me for sure this time. I never expected her to turn back into… him.

"I thought I'd find you here, Allen," came a voice from behind me. I turned around to see the king of Fanelia, Van Fanel standing in the doorway. You would never guess he was a king, dressed like a commoner, his messy black hair covering parts of his face like it always was. "Thinking about Celena, huh?"

"mm," I nodded slightly.

"Don't worry too much Allen. You know the king of Asturia has already sent for his best doctors to find a way to cure her. It's the least he can do after you tried to warn him about Zaibach."

"mm," I agreed, looking back out the window once again. I heard Van walk up behind me.

"We'll find a way to get rid of Dilandau once and for all."

**Six**

"Starve for all I care!" I heard a girl yell from down the hall. I ran towards the noise, dropping my freshly cleaned laundry on the floor. Dilyla, who was also a maid and friend of mine, was standing in front of a door guarded by two soldiers, breathing heavily.

"Dilyla, are you ok?" I asked.

"Oh! René, I didn't see you there. I'm fine. But he's clearly not. That boy's insane! I tried to bring him some food like I was told and he starts throwing dishes at me and yelling like I was diseased or something!"

"You mean… _he's_ in there?" I asked. Dilyla nodded nervously.

"There's no way I'm going into that room again. Not while he's there. You've already met him, so I hear. I heard you even ran into him when he was trying to escape."

"More like he ran into me," I said, rubbing my head. "I didn't know it was him at the time."

"You're lucky he didn't get his hands on you René. You would have been finished." A loud crash came from behind the door, making both me and Dilyla jump. "Oh… I don't want to go back up there… But I've been assigned that job and I don't dare ask the head mistress to switch me. She's just as scary as crazy boy in there."

"Well…." I looked at Dilyla's pleading eyes. "I guess I could do it for you..."

"Oh, would you René? Thank you so much! You're so kind. He needs to be brought more food at seven."

"It's all right Dilyla. I owe you anyway for when you smuggled me food that time I accidentally tripped and spilled hot curry all over the head mistress. She wouldn't let me eat for three days."

"Oh ya," she giggled. "You're so clumsy sometimes, René."

"ugh, I know. It's gonna be the death of me someday." I suddenly remembered the pile of laundry I dropped on the floor. I turned around to go back for it.

"Oh, René…"

"What?" I said, turning back to her.

"Just… be careful when you go into that room. There is something seriously wrong with that guy, and who knows what he'll do to you if he gets the chance."

**Seven**

_What do they think they're doing? I'm supposed to be a prisoner aren't I?_ I stared down at the by now cold food that was all over the floor. It was probably poisoned anyway. I sat back down on the bed, which was oddly comfortable. When I put my hand on the bed, it touched something sharp. A broken piece of plate was sitting there.

"How inviting you are," I said to the piece of serving dish, smiling wickedly. I picked it up and pressed my finger on the pointed end. A drop of blood trickled down my hand. I shivered with delight. "It would be so easy just to…" I pointed the sharp end towards my chest. The drop of blood started to make it's way down my arm. It fascinated me. I took the piece of plate and traced the point along the blood trail, causing more blood to flow. I stopped half way down my arm, when there was a knock on the door.

"I told you to go away! I'll kill you if you come in here!" I shouted at the intruder, standing up. Whoever it was didn't pay any attention to my threats. The door opened slowly, revealing a pale, thin girl with raven black hair and dark green eyes. She looked about fifteen… I recognized her from somewhere.

"I've brought you your food," she said calmly. She had guts, I'd give her that much.

"Hey!" It suddenly dawned on me. "You're the girl who got in my way that time!" My blood started to boil. If it hadn't been for her, I probably would have made it. She would pay for that…

"You wouldn't have escaped anyway," she said just as calmly. "There are soldiers all over the castle. You would have been caught sooner or later." She walked to the small table and set down the food.

"You've got a lot of nerve, talking to me like that, girly," I said, fiddling with the deadly object in my hand.

"It's funny you would refer to _me_ as 'girly'," she said with a smug look on her face.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, glaring at her impudence.

"You mean… you don't know?" She questioned in disbelief.

"Know what? What are you babbling about?" I demanded, my voice rising.

"You must have been wondering why they've been keeping you in a fancy place like this instead of a dark dungeon, haven't you?"

"It had crossed my mind." I folded my arms.

"Well… maybe it's best you don't know…" She said, almost under her breath.

"I demand you tell me what you're talking about!" I yelled. "What's best I shouldn't know?"

"Well, you're…"

"What? Out with it you stupid girl!"

"… Allen's sister." The room fell silent. She looked away from me and down at the floor.

"I'm…Allen's sister, am I?" I took in a breath… and started laughing uncontrollably. The girl turned back to me, surprised. After finally getting a hold of myself, I spoke to her.

"That's a good one, girly. You almost had me going for a second there." She looked down at the floor again, then looked back up, smiling weakly.

"Um, ya… sure."

"You amuse me, girly. What's your name?" She paused, unsure.

"It's René," she said finally. I smirked. "You think I have a funny name?" she snapped.

"Not at all, but your pause made it seem like you were afraid to tell me," I said smugly, sitting back on the bed. She didn't reply, but instead looked down at my hand.

"You're bleeding," she said worriedly

"Ya, so?"

"The wound looks deep. You should have that looked at," she said, walking towards me. She was about to take my hand. I stood up immediately and smacked her across the face, sending her to the floor.

"Don't even think about touching me. I don't need your help," I spat. She recoiled on the ground. I turned around, facing the bed. There was an awkward silence in the room for a short time. "Leave!" I shouted. I heard her slowly get back on her feet and walk towards the door. I could smell her tears. Good.

"I'll be back in the morning to bring you breakfast," she said tonelessly. "… And Dilandau…" I turned my head slightly. "It wasn't a joke."

**Eight**

_Who does he think he is, anyway? Stupid.. arrogant.. pig-headed…_

"Uh, René?"

"What?" I snapped at Sophia. She looked away, taken aback. I sighed. "Sorry, I had a rough day." We were just cleaning up the dinning table where the king and queen had eaten.

"That's what I wanted to ask you about. Judging by the look on your face, you looked like you were about to kill something."

"Or some_one_," I huffed.

"Don't tell me. It's that guy, Dilandau, isn't it? Dilyla told me you took over her job for her. Did he hurt you?" she asked, suddenly worried.

"Well… he smacked me pretty hard," I said, showing my cheek, which was still red.

"That jerk! Who does he think he is? The king of Asturia?"

"I have no idea. But did you know that he wasn't even aware he was Allen's sister? I guess he didn't remember all those times he changed into her."

"Wow… how did he take that news?"

"He didn't believe me. I wish he'd change back into her. Then we wouldn't have to deal with_ him_ anymore," I said hopefully.

"I heard the king himself sent out for the best doctors in the kingdom to come and see what they can do. Hopefully they'll find a way to cure her."

"Well, whatever they do, I hope they hurry. I don't know how many more trips to that room I can take."

**Nine**

"The doctors will be arriving tomorrow to look at your sister, Allen," said the slightly overweight king of Asturia from atop his throne. It was early morning, and the heavy rain was pounding on the roof like vicious stones.

"Thank you, your majesty," I said, bowing low. "I deeply appreciate it." I got up and walked out the huge oak doors at the end of the royal room. _But will the doctors really be able to cure you Celena?_ I thought anxiously. If only the sorcerers who had done the experiments on her in the first place were still alive. They would know exactly how to change her back. I clenched my fist angrily. Just thinking about those bastards made me shiver with hatred.

I didn't even realize I had been walking to the west side of the castle until I came upon the door guarded by two soldiers. The door that led to the tower. The door that led to him.

"Sir Allen," they said, straightening.

"I wish to see him."

"Of course," said the one on the right. He took out a large, silver key and undid the lock to the door. I walked through it, and shut it behind me. I was in a narrow and musty passageway. The only light came from flickering torches on the stone walls. I began walking slowly up the spiral staircase. I saw the red door and reached my hand towards the handle. _Wait_, I stopped myself. _What am I doing? What do I have to say to him?_ I leaned my back against the door and gritted my teeth furiously. I could do nothing for Celena. I could do nothing to help her. All I could do was wait for them to find a cure.

"You lie! You bitch! You lie!" I heard Dilandau's voice come from inside the room. It was followed by choking sounds.

_What is he talking about? _I wondered. A loud _thump_ came from the other side of the door. I suddenly realized that he was also leaning against the other side. So close… he was so close. Anger began to flow into me, slowly at first, then faster and faster until I felt like I would burst out in flames from the heat.

"Don't lose hope Celena!" I smashed my fist against the door. "I will bring you back! I promise you that!"

**Ten**

Before long, the blood red door stood tall and intimidating in front of me. I gulped nervously. _I'm not going to let this guy get the better of me!_ I encouraged myself. I took a huge breath of musty air, and knocked on the door. "I've brought you your breakfast," I said as steadily as I could. No answer. I opened the door slightly only providing me view to the bed. He wasn't there. I opened the door wider and looked around. The room dark was and depressing with only the light from outside.

I looked to my right, and saw Dilandau sitting with his back to me, looking out the window. He was straddling the chair backwards and leaning lazily against it.

"It's raining hard today," he said so quietly I had to strain my ears to hear him.

"Um… ya," I agreed, setting the food down on the table next to the other plate of food. It sat in the same place I had left it, untouched.

"Do you like the rain?" He asked quietly. I was confused. His voice had a certain calmness about it that I had never heard before.

"It's pretty, I guess," I said, thinking that was a safe enough answer. I had no idea what would set him off. I watched him as he put his hand onto the glass and slide down it with the rain on the other side.

"It's cold," he whispered, taking his hand away.

"A-are you ok?" I asked, confused. His head turned slowly towards me in almost an eerie way. His eyes locked with mine. His calm expression sent shivers up my spine, yet for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to look away from his weary gaze. After what seemed like forever, he finally looked back out the window to the rain.

_What's wrong with him?_ I thought nervously. _It's like he's a completely different person… Yet, he's still Dilandau._

"You really should eat," I said, looking back at the untouched food. "You'll get sick if you don't." At that moment, he gasped for air and started violently shaking. His breath began to grow rapid.

"Hey! What are you doing?" I asked, beginning to get scared. He started leaning to the right. I ran up and caught him just before he hit the floor. I lay him down on the floor. He was still shaking and breathing hard. His eyes were closed. "C'mon! Tell me what's wrong with you!" It was only then I noticed all the red stains on the carpet. Blood. There was a large spot of it on the chair he was sitting. I grabbed his arms. They were covered with deep cuts. "You idiot! What did you do to yourself? You're bleeding to death!"

To my surprise, he started laughing softly.

"That's funny…" he smirked, his eyes still closed.

"What?"

"You sound like you actually care," he winced, "If I die or not." The room went silent, except for the soft sound of the rain falling on the roof. He gasped for air.

"We need to get you to a doctor!" I said frantically, running to the door. "Somebody! We need help in here!" I ran back to him. "It's going to be ok," I assured him.

"Don't be stupid," he said shakily, opening his eyes. They were filled with so much pain.

"It'll never be ok."

That was the last I heard him say before he was swept into unconsciousness.

**Eleven**

"NO! Let go of me! Please let me go!" I pleaded, my eyes brimming with tears. The light on the ceiling blinded me. Dark, looming figures stood over me, talking. They were like monsters. Cruel, despicable monsters. _What are they going to do to me?_ I thought, cringing. I could hardly make out what they were saying.

"Where did you find this one?" asked one of the people in a deep voice.

"She was playing in a forest in Asturia. One of our spies found her all alone. Not the brightest little girl. She should have known better than to wander off from her parents," answered another man.

"Please let me go!" I tried again. My pleads fell on deaf ears.

"Be quiet girl!" One of the men yelled, agitated. "Put her to sleep!"

I saw one of the figures pull out a large needle. _I don't want to be here._ I yelled in my head._ I want to go home!_ _ Brother! _ I saw it glint maliciously in the light. _Please help me! _I felt the point jab into my skin. _Brother!_

"BROTHER!" I screamed, sitting up. I drew in ragged breathes of air, one after another. Beads of sweat lined my forehead. I hugged my arms to try and stop the shaking. It was then that I realized that they were bandaged up. _That's right_, I remembered. _I had fainted after cutting myself…_I looked around. I was in the bed in the room with the blood red door. I pounded my fist down.

"How… How can I be having those dreams… those memories?" I shook my head, still shaking. "I wasn't me… I was someone … else…… A girl." My eyes widened in horror. _Could it be… what that maid said was true? NO! I refuse to believe it! How could I be a girl? It's impossible! I don't remember anything like that! _I gritted my teeth in frustration. I took in a shaky breath of air, and tried to dam the tears that were fighting to get out. _I am the same as everyone else! I have my own past! I have parents just like everyone else!_

…_Then why can't I remember them?_

That question. That question I had been avoiding as long as I can remember. I would always dismiss it as nothing. Always ignored it. Always feared it. I can't run away from the truth anymore. I don't have anything. I have no idea where I came from. I have no idea how I got here. I have no idea why I'm alive.

These memories I never recall actually experiencing, they haunted me like a ghost with a thirst for my blood. In those memories, I'm somebody else. I'm not me.

"That girl is not me!" I screamed at the ceiling. _But, if I'm not her… then…_ I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes. "Who am I?"

**Twelve**

I walked briskly down the hall towards the west side of the castle, trying my hardest not to spill the plate of food. Bright, morning sunlight poured in through the windows. I was eager to see if Dilandau had recovered all right.

_You sound like you actually care if I die or not_, his words echoed in my head. I slowed down and came to a complete stop.

"I don't care," I said huffily. I felt my cheek where he had slapped me. I couldn't feel the pain anymore, but the memory was still fresh in my mind. "He's just a big jerk." It was true, yet, the last time I went to bring him his food… the last time… when he looked at me like that. His eyes were filled with so much pain and sadness. It felt like someone was stabbing a knife into my chest just from looking at him. I suppose… I felt sorry for him.

"Ya, that's it." I nodded."

"What's it?" came a voice from me behind me. I jumped and turned around. It was Allen! I blushed, and cursed at myself. I really had to stop saying things out loud.

"It's nothing, just thinking out loud," I said, giving him a weak smile. He smiled back.

"Are you taking that to…?" He pointed at the plate of food in my hand.

"Oh, ya. I am. I'm going there right now."

"I see," he nodded. We stood silent for a few seconds. Awkward… "I'm going this way too," he said finally. We began walking again towards the tower. We were pretty much silent the entire time. I was able to steal a quick glance at him every now and then. Allen was so beautiful. His long, flowing hair and his handsome face. To top it all off, he was incredibly nice. Not like Dilandau, who was a complete pain in the neck. I scowled. I couldn't believe they were actually related. Well, kind of.

Speaking, or rather, thinking of Dilandau, I wondered if he had eaten any of the food that I had previously brought him. I rolled my eyes in doubt. _If there's one thing this guy is, it's stubborn. He wouldn't even let me help him until his life was dangling by a thread!_

"Here it is." Allen's voice woke me from my thoughts. We were standing in front of the door.

"Oh, yes. All right then, goodbye," I said, bowing slightly. He nodded and walked off in the direction we came from.

_That's funny_, I thought. _It was as if he only came this way because I was._

"I'm here with the food," I said to one of the soldiers. He nodded and unlocked the door for me. I walked carefully up the cold, stone stairs. Not carefully enough it seemed. I didn't lift my foot in time for the next step and I tripped. The plate left my hands as I was falling. I hit the ground and put my hands out just in time to catch the food.

_That was close_, I thought, relieved.

"C'mon, René!" I encouraged myself. "Just a few more steps and you'll be able to put the plate down safely." I came to the door and knocked on it, giving him warning that I was entering the room. I opened the door and looked inside. Two plates sat cold and untouched on the table. Figures. I searched with my eyes around the room. Dilandau was nowhere to be seen. _Where is he?_ I thought, stepping towards the bed.

As soon as I finished my thought, an arm was locked around my neck from behind and the plate of food crashed noisily to the floor. I would have been angry about that, had the circumstances been different. I gasped for air, trying to pry the arm off of my throat, but to no avail.

"Now," came a familiar, acidly voice. "This can be very easy, or it can be very difficult. If you struggle, you will find it very difficult. I suggest you be a good maid and safely lead me out of this hell hole you call a castle. We wouldn't want to break this pretty little neck of yours."

**Thirteen**

"You ingrate! I saved your life!" she yelled angrily.

"And now you're going to save it again." I said coolly. "Let's go." We walked out the door and down some stone steps. It didn't take too long before we came to another door at the bottom of the stairs. "There are guards behind it, yes?" She didn't answer. "Open it," I instructed. She reluctantly did what I told her, and sunlight washed into the passageway. We stepped out into the hallway, and before either of the soldiers could react, I pushed the one on the right against the wall and he fell to the floor. I walked backwards so that the girl was in front of me.

"Hey!" yelled the soldier I had pushed over.

"Follow me, and I'll kill the girl," I warned them. They froze, and I began to run with her, which was a lot harder than it looked. We ran down the hall until we came to a wall and two halls that led left and right. "Which is the way out?" I yelled at her.

"You bastard," she whispered. I tightened my grip on her neck.

"Tell me, or you'll never see tomorrow," I whispered in her ear.

"You can get out either way, but there are less people to your left," she coughed. I spun towards the left hallway and ran forward with her.

"You better be right, for your sake," I threatened. I heard shouts from behind us. I recognized one of them to be Allen Schezar's. I growled. I wasn't going to let him spoil my escape. "Run faster you stupid girl!"

"I could, if you let go of my neck!"

"Nice try, but I'm not letting go." We ran down the hallway at a steady pace. The shouting was getting closer. My heart started pounding uncontrollably. I couldn't be caught! I had to get out of this castle!

"That way!" the maid shouted, pointing to a passageway that was so dimly lit I hadn't even noticed it. I turned in towards it and we were both shrouded in darkness. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to only to the light of torches that were widely spaced out on the walls. There were large paintings on either side of the hall of rather ugly looking people. Past kings, I guessed. I noticed the shouting was getting farther and farther away. They must have gone the other way, so I decided it would be safe to slow down.

"Why did you help me back there?" I looked suspiciously at the girl.

"I… didn't mean to…"

"Sshh!' I clasped my hand around her mouth. I heard people talking… coming this way! I looked around the dimly lit corridor. A door! I rushed over to it, still holding on to the girl, and opened it. It was only a closet, but it would do. I pushed her in ahead of me and went in myself, closing the door behind me. It was dark, but I was still able to see the girl fairly well. I put my hand back over her mouth to make sure she wouldn't cry for help.

Not a moment to soon, either. The voices of two gossiping girls came closer to where we were hiding.

"No way. I'm sure she's not that easy," one of them said.

"I'm positive! All I had to do was put on the sad puppy eyes and she jumped to take the

job off my hands!" the other one laughed.

"You really should stop taking advantage of her, Dilyla. She's gonna figure you out one of these days."

"Maybe," the other girl giggled. "But until then I think I'll play around a bit more. Who knows how many of my jobs René will take over for me when I put on the water works!" I heard the laughing fade away as they walked out of earshot. I took my hand away, and when I glanced at the girl, her mouth was agape with disbelief.

"Friends of yours?" I smirked.

"Clearly not," she frowned. She turned the handle to open door and pushed, but it remained closed.

"Women are such weaklings," I muttered under my breath pushing her aside. I grasped the doorknob and pushed. It didn't open. I tried again. Still, nothing.

"Don't tell me…" said the girl tonelessly.

I took my hand away from the door. "It's locked."

**Fourteen**

"Well this is just great!" I said, throwing my arms into the air, only to hit them painfully on the low ceiling. "Got anymore bright ideas, genius?"

"Shut up," he muttered, leaning against the far wall.

"What are we gonna do now? We're locked in a closet in the most secluded place in the castle! We'll probably starve to death before anyone finds us!" I bellowed at him. He was silent. I crossed my arms furiously and sat down in the area too small to even stretch my legs out. _This is all his fault!_ I thought angrily.

"Of all the people in the world, I had to wind up with you," he grumbled.

"You're not exactly my first choice either," I glared up at him. We were silent for the next while. I tried to preoccupy myself by waving my hand back and forth in front of the crack in the door where the light came through. I had a feeling we would be here for a looooong time.

"tit-tita-tap. Tit-tita-tap. Tit-tita-tap," I tapped my fingers along the ground distractedly.

"Bang!" he kicked the door with his foot. "Quit making that irritating noise!" he barked.

"Sorry…" I mumbled. _The last thing I need right now is to get him madder than he already is… I've got to distract him…_

"Why don't… we play something then," I said finally.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know, a game. How about… I say a word, and you say the first word that comes to your mind." I could tell he wasn't too thrilled by the idea, but he didn't object. "All right… red!" He looked at me cynically. "C'mon!" I urged him.

"…Blood."

"Sun," I continued.

"Burn."

"Slow."

"Death."

"Dumb."

"This game."

"One word only!" I snapped. "Creation."

He sighed. "Destruction."

"Seething."

"Hatred."

"Love." I said. He didn't answer. "I said, love."

"I heard you!" He barked.

"Then why didn't you answer?" I retorted.

"… I don't believe in love. It's foolish… and a waste of time!" He growled, ending the game. We were both silent once again. Boy, this guy was touchy.

"So, how did you end up as a general for Zaibach?" I asked innocently, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Isn't it obvious?" he replied with an evil grin. "The battlefield is the only place for me. The fighting and the bloodshed is sheer bliss in my eyes. That's why I have to get back out there… on that battlefield."

"…I'm afraid the 'battle' has left the field for some time now. The war ended two months ago…" I said confusedly. Didn't he know that?

"What? What do you mean it's over?"

"Are you deaf? It's over. Finished. Done. Zaibach was defeated, and the king of Fanelia decided to make it his home of reign, since you guys destroyed his old kingdom. He's already began to rebuild it to his liking."

"That's impossible! How could we loose?" He said, trying to except the fact. "If Zaibach was conquered… that means.. I…" He clenched his fists tightly to the point they were shaking.

"Even if your escape plan had worked and you made it out of the castle, you wouldn't have anywhere to go." I said coolly. "You're not a general of Zaibach anymore. In fact, you step one foot in that kingdom and you'll be history."

"Shut up!" he screamed.

"BAM!" his fist connected loudly with the door.

"I don't… want to hear it…" He fell back against the wall and slowly slid down it into a sitting position opposite me. There was hardly enough space for the two of us to sit down. His legs brushed against mine and I couldn't help but blush a little.

"I'm sorry," I looked down and hugged my knees. "It must not be easy for you."

"…Did you say, two months since the war ended?" He looked straight forward, a serious look on his face.

"um.. ya," I answered. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back. _That's right_, I thought. _He wouldn't have any memory of the time that's passed since then because he was…_

He laughed quietly. "Even if Zaibach was defeated, I still would have found some way to get by if I escaped. There will always be war in this world. Peace will never last long while humans are still alive." As much as I wanted to disagree, his words seemed very likely.

"What's wrong with staying here?" I said, hesitantly. He gave me an 'are you kidding?' look. "I mean, sure, maybe your not entirely welcome here, and your guarded day and night… But at least they feed you and you have a decent room to stay in…" I bit my lip, unsure how he would react. He looked me up and down as if he were trying to figure out what I was talking about.

"It doesn't matter how fancy it is. A cage is still a cage," he said quietly. "I don't know about you, but I can't live like that." I nodded. He looked away into the dark and shadowy ceiling. Who knew what was going on in that head of his.

I smiled inwardly. For the first time, I felt like he had actually opened up to me. Even if it was just a little. I wondered uncertainly, gazing at the peculiar boy sitting across from me. I was both amazed and puzzled by him. And maybe… something else too.

**Fifteen**

"Any sign of Dilandau or his hostage?" I asked the two soldiers kneeling in front of me.

"Nothing yet, sir. We are still searching," said the first one.

"Well then get moving!" I barked. "Make sure there are guards watching every exit! I want every last nook and cranny of this castle thoroughly searched!"

"Right away!" they leapt up in unison. I sighed and rubbed my head in hopes of getting rid of the pounding headache I had recently acquired.

_Damn that boy_, I thought, frustrated. _He's nothing but trouble. I just hope he hasn't found a way to escape yet…_

"I hope you know what you're doing, Allen," came a deep voice from behind me. I spun around to see the king of Asturia with a few soldiers beside him. "The last thing I need is a bloodthirsty monster roaming around my castle."

"Of course your majesty. Every available soldier is searching for him as we speak," I said, bowing slightly. He nodded and walked away briskly. I was relieved when he left. The king had always made me feel uneasy. I walked up to the large, decorated window that revealed the sun's slow and magnificent decent.

_Sunset_, I frowned. _And we still haven't found him… Or René. I hope she's ok._ I remembered Hitomi in my mind. I had once been in love with her, until I realized she was more of a sister to me then anything else. I had not understood then that my love for her was not real. There had been Milerna once too, but it I could never be with her, knowing the only reason would be she was a stunning replica of her sister.

Since the war ended, I've been incredibly lonely. When I returned to Asturia, I had noticed the raven haired girl serving dinner one evening. She was an incredible sight to behold, and I had to force myself not to stare the entire meal. It has never been this hard to get to know a girl before. She was, after all, only a maid, while I was a respected knight of Kaali. That wouldn't stop me.

_I will make you fall for me, René. I only pray that you are safe, wherever you are._

**Sixteen**

"You dance delightfully, René," complimented Allen courteously.

"Thank you. You aren't too bad yourself," I smiled, stepping in time to the music, my deep purple gown flowing around me as I moved. Allen looked dashing in his formal wear, as did all the other people dancing around us. The music seemed to echo in the enormous ballroom we were in, and the ceiling was decorated with beautiful carvings.

When I looked closer at them, I realized they were scenes from the war. Pictures of death and destruction impended over me like a black cloud, threatening to swallow me whole. The carvings began to move, slow at first, then faster and faster. People destroying other people. There were screams and yelling, and when I fixed my gaze down from the roof to the dance floor, I realized that I was the only one there. The lights faded until there was nothing but the light emitting from the horrible scene above me.

I looked up again, and to my horror, the battle began to fall from the ceiling to where I was standing. The clashing of swords and screams of the soon to be dead rang so loudly in my ears I feared I would go deaf. I was now on the battlefield, and no longer in the ballroom. Dark and sinister clouds loomed above me, and began to rain. When I put my hand out and a drop fell onto it, I saw that instead of clear water, it was deep red blood. I screamed, as the terrifying liquid fell from the sky.

Suddenly, a huge red guymelef dropped from the sky and landed directly on top of two soldiers fighting each other. Terrifyingly sick laughter came from the inside of the guymelef. The disgusting pleasure in his voice made me shiver from fear. Without hesitation, the red guymelef began destroying everything and everyone it it's path. It was like a merciless killing machine.

Before I knew it, all of the people who had been fighting around me, were dead. Their bodies lay mangled and unmoving on the blood covered earth. Everything had gone deathly quiet… The person in the red guymelef and I were the only one's still standing.

I took in a shaky breath of air, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. Any moment, it would come for me. It would come… and it would kill me. To my surprise, instead of advancing, the robot kneeled down and opened to reveal a person inside. I couldn't see who it was until they jumped down and began to walk towards me.

_Dilandau!_ I screamed in my head, the horrible realization dawning on me. His face held no emotion whatsoever, and his head lolled slightly to the side lazily, almost like someone who was sleepwalking. I wanted to run away from the impending silver haired boy, but my body was frozen and refused to move. He approached me, a sly and evil smile crossing his lips that would unsettle even the most bravest of warriors. In mere moments, he had made his way up to me, close enough to touch me. I cursed my body for not listening to my pleads to get away from him. Get as far away as possible…

Even as he leaned over to my ear, I couldn't move from the place in which I stood. My eyes widened as he whispered softly into my ear.

"Fire and rain, anger and pain… My love for you shall drive me insane…"

**Seventeen**

"Merle, please. I'm trying talk to Allen," Lord Van gently shoved me off of his arm. "Go take a walk somewhere, ok?"

"I don't see why I couldn't help," I whined. Actually, I really had no idea what everyone was making a fuss about. But I was sure if it was troubling Van I could do something about it.

"Leave this to us, all right Merle?" sighed Lord Van. I pouted and ran off to find something to do, leaving Lord Van and Allen to talk about… well, whatever they were talking about. Boredom constantly crept up on me like a relentless snake. Everything's going pretty slow lately since the war ended. Not that I wasn't overjoyed to see the fighting end, it's just the quiet was driving me insane. I kept praying something exciting would happen to me, but no. Just another visit to Asturia.

_But then again, I wonder what those two were talking about… Oh well. I'm gonna go find something to do! _ I thought, jumping down to run on my hands and feet. I felt much more comfortable running like that, being a cat and all.

I ran through the royal gardens, which were fully in bloom with all sorts of flowers and fruit. Asturia was a very beautiful place, for sure. I decided to take a look around the inside of the castle. Even though I had been to Asturia a few times, I never really had a chance to explore it thoroughly. _Now's my chance. _I grinned, noticing a door at the other end of the garden that led into the castle. When I opened it and went through, I realized it was a kitchen. Cooks were rushing about, preparing meals and washing dishes. Maids would come in through another door now and then to take a dish of delectable smelling food to most likely the dinning room. It was nearly lunch time, I became aware of as my stomach grumbled loudly.

I crept up to one of the counters quietly, when I realized I probably wouldn't have been heard even if I was wearing metal army boots. The kitchen was a mad house with all the noise of vegetable cutting, boiling water, ordering shouts from the chief cook and everything else. I looked with hungry eyes at the plate directly in front of me. It was sweetly marinated Kawfing fish with chopped vegetables surrounding it in an enticing way.

Within a second, the fish was firmly grasped between my teeth as I ran swiftly out of the kitchen.

"Hey! What happened to the fish?" I heard a voice from in the kitchen., now well behind me. I giggled triumphantly, still running and tasting the delicious steal in my mouth. I had to find a secluded place to finish off my meal. Wait! I screeched to a stop and turned around. I almost missed the narrow corridor that was hidden in the shadows.

"Perfect," I mewed, dashing down the hallway to find a good spot. "I doubt anybody in their right mind would be hanging out in a dark and creepy place like this!"

**Eighteen**

My eyes slowly opened and I yawned silently. _It's cold_, I thought, shivering and wondering why I had no blankets on me. I looked up and gasped at the sight in front of me. I let out a sigh of relief when I realized who it was. Wait, why would I be relieved? He's the last person I'd want to be locked in a closet with!

_That's right_, I thought, remembering what had happened yesterday. _I was locked in this closet… with him_. I stared at the sleeping teenager in front of me. His head rested against the back wall of the closet wearily and his mouth was slightly agape. His soft breathing was almost soothing. You would never have guessed he was a ruthless killer by the way he slept so soundly. _He looks so peaceful, _I gazed wondrously.

My love for you shall drive me insane… That's what he had said in my dream. I blushed, then frowned at my thoughts. _How stupid!_ I looked away_. Like he'd ever say something like that! And to me, of all people! He's a mad man!_

_And besides_, I thought sullenly. _I know how he feels about love…_ I looked back at him. I couldn't help but giggle when I noticed the beginning of a drool trail on the side of his mouth.

_What am I doing?_ I thought, exasperated. _Most girls would be terrified to be locked up in a closet with some weirdo who could kill you at any moment! Yet I'm not…_

I shivered again. Why was it so cold? It felt like there was almost a breeze in here. But how could that be? We were deep in the castle where there weren't even any windows! That's when I noticed it. A small crack where the wall of the closet met the floor. It was just big enough for me to put my hand under it. When I did, I felt something… a small switch! I pressed it, and I heard something click. I jerked my head to face Dilandau. He was still sleeping soundly.

I thought for a moment, then pushed the wall. The whole thing went forward! I looked up and noticed hinges on the roof of the wall I hadn't seen before. I pushed the door up more so that I could see what was behind it.

There was a stone walled passageway, wide enough for only one person. The breeze was coming from down the passage, and I could see a faint light up ahead. Excellent! I would be able to escape!

I looked over at the still sleeping boy. His head had lolled onto one of his shoulders.

_He could wake up any second_, I thought. _If he saw me trying to escape he would kill me without a second thought. But if I'm really quiet… _He shifted his position slightly, making me jump. He was still asleep, but had his eyes been open, they would be staring directly at me. _Well, what if I woke him and showed it to him? That way we could both escape this cramped closet and he wouldn't need me as a hostage to get out of the castle anymore! He'd be able to leave for good and I wouldn't have to deal with him ever again! _I nodded to myself, reaching my hand over to his shoulder to wake him up.

_My love for you… _

I jerked my hand back, his whispered words echoing in my mind. I shook my head vigorously. Stupid, meaningless dream! I reached my hand forward for a second time, but stopped when he began to stir.

"Mmm.. ngh…" He mumbled, his eyes still closed. He stretched out one of his arms, and I knew he was awake.

I averted my eyes to the passageway, then at him. It would be so easy! All I had to do was show it to him and he would leave for good!

"Dilandau…" I said cautiously. He rubbed his head with the palm of his hand, groaning. I looked back at the passage, then him again.

"What?" he grumbled with an annoyed tone.

"I…found…" I whispered. He took his hand away from his face. I grabbed the door and shut it as quickly and quietly as I could, but it still made a "thump" sound as it hit the floor.

"What was that?" He said, opening his eyes suddenly.

"I… just hit my hand against the wall. There's not a lot of room in here," I said innocently. He looked at me suspiciously for a moment, then looked away. I let out the breath I had been holding in.

"Hmph. I would think they would have found us by now. They must not be looking very hard," he huffed moodily.

"Ya," was all I said. Why had I done that? Why didn't I tell him about the secret passage? Didn't I… Didn't I want him to leave?

**Nineteen**

"Mrowr!" I mewed happily, licking my paws. The fish had proven to be a wonderful meal, leaving my stomach more than satisfied. _I wonder where this corridor leads_, I thought, inspecting the paintings. I scrunched up my face in disgust. The past kings weren't much in the looks department. Not that the king of Asturia we had now was any better.

I was told that Asturia's castle was a place of many hidden passageways. Maybe I'd be able to find one! I purred at the thought. Finally, something exciting to do! I scampered down the hallway, playfully counting the number of torches and doors I passed.

"What's that?" I said out loud, my ears perking up. I had just heard talking coming from a little ways behind me. I turned around. There it was again! It sounded like there were two people talking… Coming from inside one of the doors.

"You could have at least said thank you!" said one of the voices. I was pretty sure it was a girl.

"I didn't ASK you to help me!" yelled another voice, most likely a male's. I started retracing my steps to find the right door.

"Look! Just look at those cuts! You would have died if I hadn't gotten help when I did!"

"Don't touch my arm, you bitch!" yelled the second voice again. I stopped walking. By the sound of their conversation, did I really want to find them? Curiosity won over common sense and I continued to track down the voices.

"Fine! Don't go crying to me next time you almost bleed to death!" the girl retorted.

"Death is a warmer welcome than this rat trap!"

"Oh! Why do you always have to be so pigheaded!" yelled the girl, frustrated. The voices were very close now.

"Pigheaded? I'll show you who's pigheaded!" threatened the boy, followed by sounds of struggling.

_Aha! Here's the door!_ I grinned evilly.

I grabbed the handle and opened the door quickly, overjoyed at finally finding the right door. "Ah…" I froze at the site in front of me. A boy with wavy silver hair was grabbing onto the arm of a girl dressed in a maid's uniform, who had a fistful of his shirt in her hand. They were both stunned, staring at me, a shocked look on their faces.

"Um…" said the girl, breaking the silence. They looked at each other and immediately let go of one another.

"About time! Out of my way, cat!" growled the boy, lunging at me.

"I don't think so!" I yelled, slamming the door in his face and running as fast as I could in the other direction.

_There's one thing you don't see everyday!_ I thought to myself, running out of the dark hallway and into the brighter one. _Talk about weird!_


End file.
